Cautery-electrode



E. H. WPFLER,

CAU'IERYLECTBODE.

APPLICATION man Psa. 12, :919.

1,366,756. imma 58.11.25, A1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REINHOLD H. WAPPLER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WAPPLER ELECTRICCOMPANY, INC., A. CORORATION OF NEW YORK. i

CAUTERY-ELECTRODE.

Application filed February 12, 1919.

To all whom t may concern Be it known 'that I, RnINHoLn H. l/VnrrLnn, acitizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, county ofWestchester, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cautery- Electrodes, ofV which the followingis a Jlull,clear, and concise description.

My invention relates to cautery electrodes of the kind used by surgeonsand physicians for burning or searing living tissues.

A cautery electrode otthis typ-e consists oli a shank adapted to bedetachably mounted upon a supporting handle, and which carries anelectrically heated member analogous to a knife blade and usuallydesignated as a knife.

More particularly stated, l seek to iniprove the shank of the cauteryelectrode, so as to confer upon it a maximum of strength and stiffnesscombined with lightness, and to improve its insulation as well as tosimplify and cheapen its cost of manufacture.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, and in which like letters indicate like parts throughoutall of the gures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation oi one torni of my cautery electrodecomplete, the device in this instance being of rather large size. y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a slightly dit ferent form of my device,oi' a size smaller than that shown in Fig. 1, and as yet unfinished.

F ig. 3 is a side elevation of the cautery electrode complete, that is,made by finishing the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is an end elevation oi the construe tion appearing in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionindicated by the arrow.

Two rods 6, 7 each having in cross section a substantiallysemi-cylindrical form, or in other words half-round rods, are so arranged that their rotund or convex surfaces are disposed outwardly, thustending to give the shank an approximately cylindrical form.'

VSandwiched between the two rods 6, 7 is a strip S of insulatingmaterial, in this instance sheet mica, so disposed that each of itsfaces, throughout the entire width of the strip, as seen in crosssection in Fig. 5, is in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921. Serial No. 276,588.

actual contact with theinner face of the adjacent rod 6 or 7.

rlhe two rods with the intermediate strip ot mica are twisted togetheras shown in F 1g., 1, so as to constitute a longitudinal straight shankin the forni of aA solid cylinder.

The end portions 9, 10 arebent outwardly and rendered parallel to eachother, and are provided with termina-l pins 11, 12, to be detachablyriitted into a supportingy handle.

The part 13,k is adapted tobe electricallyY heated and used after themannen ofa. blade, and is hence designated asthe knife.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the shank of theelectrode contains no uniilled crevices, voids or spaces. ln otherwords, the shank, though composite, is built up solid throughout. Thisis because the rods 6, 7 fit neatly and squarely against the faces ofthe mica strip 8, from edge to edge and from end to end thereof. Therebeing no vacant space inside of the shank, no port-ion of the shank iseasily stretched, compressed or distorted. Each rod 6, 7, acts as abrace for the other, and that, too, as a brace with a relatively largebearing surface. Each rod 6, 7, has an effective bearing surface equalin area to the adjacent mating face of the mica strip- 8, and as a.consequence each rod braces the other, through the thickness of the micastrip, and throughout an area measured by the length and width of thestrip.

The mica strip 8 need not be held in position by any adhesive, orconfined in any manner except by its contact with the rods 6, 7. Thestrip is effectively held in position by the clamping action of the rods6, 7, and because the strip, held in a spiral form, is unable to moveedgewise. ln consequence of this spiral forni the strip could not becomedisplaced even i1 it were loose relatively to the rods. The insulationali'orded by the strip of mica, arranged as above described, is veryreliable, as no contact can take place between the rods 6, 7.

ln 2, i show a slightly different form ot my device, and made in smallersize than the one shown in F 1, but left uninished. The semicylindricalrods 14, 15, are separated by a. strip 16 of mica, these parts beingtwisted into spira-l form, the end portions l? being lett untwisted. Theend portion 18 is a loop common to both of the rods, and which is cutaway and supplanted by a knife.

In Fin: 3, I show the completed article which in F ig. 2 is shown asunlinished.

The terminal pins 19, 2O are formed, and the knife 21 is added andshaped up from suitable material.

The form shown inFig. 3 differs from that appearing in F ig. 1 chieliyin the fact that in F ig. 3 the convolutions made by the twist of therods 14, 15 and mica strip 16 are of somewhat steeper pitch, owing tothe fact that in making the shank of small diameter it is practicable totwist the shank rather tightly.

My construction of cautery electrode is of special advantage ininstances where, 'for any reason, the shank is to have a small diameter.It is obvious that with the advantage of strength and stiffness combinedwith lightness, the diameter of the shank can be less than wouldotherwise be necessary.

I do not limit myself to the particular structure shown, as variationsmay be made therein without departing from my invention, the scope ofwhich is commensurate with my claims.

I claim:

1. A cautery electrode having a shank made u) of two semi-cylindricalrods and a strip ot insulating material sandwiched thercbetween7 therods and strip being each ol sp` 1al form, the width of said strip atany point being substantially equal to the general diameter of the shankat the same point, and each rod making actual contact with said stripthroughout the width and length ci' said strip.

[it cautery electrode provided with a. shank made up of a plurality otrods, each having a general spiral i'orm, and a strip oi' micasandwiched in between said rods and also having' a spiral form, thewidth of said strip at any given point along its length being equal tothe proximate diameter of, the shank at such point.

REINHOLD I-I. TAPPLEIL

